Unveiling the crucial factors of women entrepreneurship in the 21st century

Abstract

In the present era, women-owned firms are one of India’s fastest increasing entrepreneurial communities in the form of women entrepreneurs. The objective of the study is to identify the factors that influence women’s entrepreneurial orientation and firms’ performance. The research study discusses the influencing factors and their effect on firms’ performance and satisfaction in this regard. The proposed framework and hypotheses have been tested using data gathered from boutiques, beauty parlors, carpet manufacturers, and retail shops in Karnataka, India. Data analysis was done using univariate, bivariate, and multivariate techniques. In Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), paths were created for evaluating the cause-and-effect relationship between different factors viz., social, psychological, financial, and resource factors and entrepreneurial performance and satisfaction. Seven relationships were significant, while two relationships were insignificant in this structural equation. The key finding of the paper is that all factors have a significant impact on the firm’s performance. The implications of research results for researchers and practitioners are discussed, and suggestions have also been made.